Major Requirements

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Course Requirements

To attain a Bachelor of Arts in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies, students will be required to complete successfully the following 192 credit hour program, with a minimum of 52 required credit hours in the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies program:

The four-course sequence PAX 210-212-214-218 forms the foundation of the program and should be completed in the first or second year of study. They do not need to be done in sequence. An internship, PAX 392 or PAX 390, should be completed prior to taking PAX 300 & 350. If possible, students should take the internship prior to senior year. Seniors should plan to take the senior seminar, PAX 300, and the capstone, PAX 350. Two PAX workshops (2 credit hours each) can be completed at any time, ideally prior to senior year.

Senior Seminar

Students will do a senior seminar PAX 300 either in their junior or senior year. Each seminar will deal with one area of theory within Peace, Justice, & Conflict Studies, for example, human rights theory, theories of peace-building; theories of social & comparative justice.

Students are also required to do the capstone course in Peace, Justice, & Conflict Studies, PAX 350, so that they can bring together theory and practices learned throughout the course of the major. PAX 300 and 350 are offered as a sequence in winter and spring quarter. Students doing study abroad during winter or spring quarter of their senior year must do the sequence in their junior year.

Distribution Requirements

Students will select the four electives from the list approved by the Program. The four electives must meet the following distribution requirements:

One elective of the four needs to be at the 300-level.

Within their four electives, students must either take at least 1 course from two different departments or interdisciplinary programs or count no more than 3 courses from any one department or interdisciplinary program.

Two additional PAX 250 workshops may count as one elective (for 4 credit hours), as can any PAX course that is not part of the PAX Core.

For students doing the single major in Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies, it is recommended that they use an elective slot to take an appropriate methodology course in consultation with their major plan advisor.

Program Approved Electives

Courses cross-listed with any listed below are accepted as PAX electives. Check with the PJC Director for topics courses approved as PAX electives each quarter or to approve a course not on this list. ​

Open Electives

Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.

PAX 220

ACTIVISM

This course will look at the various ways in which people across the globe organize to fight for better living conditions, social justice, human rights, environmental protection, labor issues, sustainable development alternatives, political representation, and gender issues, among others.

PAX 250

TOPICS ON PEACE, JUSTICE, AND CONFLICT STUDIES

A workshop covering practical instruction in mediation, conflict resolution, and nonviolent methods for promoting social change.

PAX 210

FROM INTERNATIONALCONFLICT TO RESOLUTION AND PEACE

This interdisciplinary course examines the basic questions of peace studies in different and "diverse" contexts, from personal relationships to societies and states, and addresses the consequences of conflict and conflict resolution in the contemporary world.

PAX 212

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL CHANGE

An exploration of the mutual interdependence of social justice and non-violence, understanding it as a strategy for social change and a vision for social concord. Formerly PAX 230.

PAX 214

CONFLICT: INTERVENTION, NEGOTIATION AND ADVOCACY

An exploration of theories of conflict and the intervention methods for dealing with conflicts at the interpersonal and group levels.

PAX 300

SENIOR SEMINAR

A seminar on a key theoretical topic on peace, justice or human rights, or conlfict, viewed from an interdisciplinary perspective and though a wide variety of theoretical positions.

PAX 350

CAPSTONE IN PEACE, JUSTICE & CONFLICT STUDIES

An integrative seminar drawing together students' theoretical work and hands-on expertise.

PAX 390

INTERNSHIP

The internship as an independent project allows students to find an peace, justice, or conflict intervention organization that will give them a meaningful experience in the work of their organizations or to sign up with a credit-bearing internship with another academic institution. Permission of the Director.

ABD 200

AFRICA: PEOPLES, CULTURES, IDEAS AND MOVEMENTS

This is an introductory survey course on African politics. The organizing topic and focus of the course will be Africa's experience with democratic governance, especially its continuing vigor and popular appeal on the continent despite its elusive character. Our goal in this course is to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Africa: its rich political tradition, incredible diversity, its contradictions, achievements and failings. The objective is to be able to ask better questions, and develop some insights about why democracy, self-sustaining economic growth, equity and social justice have been so difficult to accomplish and sustain in the region.

ABD 235

HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND NEGRITUDE

This interdisciplinary course will examine the diasporic literary and cultural movements known as the Harlem (or New Negro) Renaissance and the Negritude Movement in literature, music, and visual arts. Specific attention will be given to the historical, economic, and political aspects which helped to form these movements. Figures to be examined include: Du Bois, Hughes, Locke, Larsen, Douglas, Cullen, Cesaire, Damas and Senghor.

ABD 245

RACE AND ETHNICITY IN LITERARY STUDIES

This course examines various ways in which race is constructed and, concurrently, how race as a "fiction" operates in literary studies. Literature presents and explores the ways in which the world is viewed and experienced by individuals in a particular society or social group. Since literature provides unique insights into different historical and cultural movements, studying how race is understood and deployed (explicitly and implicitly) in a text provides a powerful way to examine the fluidity of race and to compare how it is understood in different parts of the Black diaspora.

ANT 314

ANTHROPOLOGY OF GENDER

This course examines women's lives cross-culturally using anthropological theories of gender construction to discuss the different meanings of womanhood.

ANT 324

COLONIALISM TO GLOBAL SOCIETY

This course examines long-term trends in the development of capitalist society in terms of both material and social organization from the 15th century to the present. Modeled on the core text, Europe and the People without History by Eric Wolfe, the course seeks to ground students in long-term processes of cultural development and change. These issues will be explored through a combination of archaeological and ethnographic perspectives and evidence.

ANT 326

TRANSNATIONAL CULTURES

This course examines the emergence of transnational culture in the modern world. The focus is on relationships and processes that link communities, such as trade, migration, and tourism, and the local experience of these global processes. While classroom discussion will be structured around critical readings of texts, self reflection and value consciousness will be encouraged. To this end, assignments will combine critical readings and guided experiential activities. Students will be tutored in techniques for giving professional style presentations. The course may vary according to faculty interest. Possible foci include labor migration, media, tourism, and/or global consumption.

ART 382

INTEGRATING ART INTO THE CURRICULUM AND THE COMMUNITY

This course brings DePaul students into a Chicago grade school to incorporate art into the curriculum. It is a hybrid course that involves some Independent Study in which the students organize their schedule in conjunction with a grade school classroom teacher, and some required classes that they must attend on campus at a prescribed time and day. Students are off campus for approximately 10 class sessions. At the start of the quarter, students are given a theoretical background in community-based art education, ethical issues, and social engagement. Working in teams, students will observe in the classrooms to gain a sense of the grade school community and the existing curriculum. DePaul students will then develop and teach a specific lesson plan in collaboration with the classroom teacher. The objective will be to produce a creative learning experience that co-mingles art and a core subject such as science or social studies. Teaching this art integrated lesson will be an essential aspect of the learning experience. Students will meet back at the DePaul classroom at designated intervals for information, reflection, and the analysis of their experience and their impact on the grade school community, in relations to the theoretical examples from the beginning of the course. These reflections take varied forms: discussion, role-playing exercise, presentation, and papers. Approved for JYEL and cbSL credit. Formerly ART 283.

ART 291

MURAL PAINTING

This class has a central focus on the art of mural making. Students will have a hands on experience as they design and execute a mural at a predetermined site. The students will also learn the strategy and design factors of planning a mural piece of their own. This piece will be at a real venue, executed as a small scale illustration brd. piece. This will be done in the classroom in the last part of the qtr. The class functions as a studio class as it meets for 6 hrs. weekly. A minimum of 25 service hours is required. And having either drawing or painting experience on the collegiate level is recommended highly for this class. This class is certified for cbSL and JYEL credit.

CTH 243

ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL THINKING

A study of the Roman Catholic tradition of "faith seeking understanding" examining the content and the process of emergence of Catholic beliefs about such matters as God, sin, Jesus Christ, revelation, the church and eschatology. Cross-listed with REL 280.

CTH 247

ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT IN CONTEXT

A study of Roman Catholicism's understanding of its relation to the social world, including such matters as the relation between Church and state, and the moral authority of the Church, and of its teaching on such issues as social ethics, politics and economics. Cross-listed with REL 283.

CTH 282

GOD, JUSTICE AND REDEMPTIVE ACTION

A practicum and seminar combining student participation in social outreach programs with an examination of the theological and ethical issues raised therein. Students will volunteer at a field site for the quarter.

CTH 341

LIBERATION THEOLOGY: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Focuses upon the ideas and practices of a radical movement for the transformation of Christianity and for social justice that originated in the "Basic Christian Communities" of Latin America and spread from there to North America and the Third World. Cross-listed as REL 351.

CTH 386

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WORLD POLITICS

Catholicism as it affects (and is affected by) world politics. Various topics might include war and peace, global economy, immigration, nationalism, etc. Cross-listed with PSC 345.

CTH 389

SPECIAL TOPICS IN THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF CATHOLICISM

SPECIAL TOPICS IN THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF CATHOLICISM

CSS 201

PERSPECTIVES ON COMMUNITY SERVICE

This course explores the relationship between social justice movements and non-profit organizations in the U.S. by providing a structure within which students can learn about issues and theory and the organizational settings in which they are serving.

CSS 300

INTRODUCTION TO NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT

This course provides students with an understanding of the functioning of the organizations that conduct the vital work of the non-profit sector. Students will complete the course with the knowledge base to be effective program managers and board members in these organizations.

ENG 272

LITERATURE AND IDENTITY

Studies in the literary expression and representation of identity. This course is not repeatable.

ENG 275

LITERATURE AND FILM

Introduction to the comparative study of literature and film. Emphasis on construction of narrative, development of character, point-of-view, and adaptation across genres and mediums. This course is not repeatable.

ABD 371

AFRICAN- AMERICAN FICTION

Selected novels and short fiction by twentieth-century African-American writers. Cross-listed with ENG 371.

ENG 372

AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY AND DRAMA

Survey of African-American poetry and drama from 1865 to the present.

ENG 373

MULTIETHNIC LITERATURE OF THE U.S.

Readings in recent literature, primarily fiction, by American writers of various ethnic backgrounds, exploring the evolving concept of ethnicity in literature.

ENG 374

NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE

Study of literature by Native-American writers with emphasis on twentieth-century works.

ENG 378

LITERATURE AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Study of selected literary works in the contexts of community service. See schedule for current offerings. This course is repeatable with different topics.

ENG 379

TOPICS IN LITERATURE

See schedule for current offerings.

ENG 383

WOMEN AND LITERATURE

Study of literature by women, with attention to the literary traditions of women's literature, historical and theoretical perspectives on women as writers and readers, and issues of feminist literary history and criticism.

ENG 389

TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

See schedule for current offerings.

Prerequisites:

WRD 104 or HON 100 is a prerequisite for this course.

GEO 201

GEOPOLITICS

A survey of theories of geopolitics and international relations, the course explores issues of international security and organization, regional integration, and nationalism, state formation and conflict. Historic geopolitical cases from Europe (Northern Ireland, EU, Balkans), the Middle East and North Africa, and the Russian realm, provide opportunities to assess theoretical approaches and profile the security and foreign policy concerns of the U.S.in the new millennium.

GEO 205

JUSTICE, INEQUALITY AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

A theoretical and applied investigation of the social, political, and economic processes influencing the spatial distribution of environmental amenities and harms across the U.S. urban landscape, with particular focus on urban structure and the role of environmental justice struggles in shaping urban policy and the urban landscape.

GEO 206

BOUNDARIES AND IDENTITIES

A critical survey of the manner in which social, political, ethnic, gender and racial identities are being constructed by modernity and post-modernity. Cross-listed as INT 206. Recommended for GEO majors when taught by Professor Nast.

GEO 215

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY

This course charts the political, social and economic transformation of the developing countries, (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, Pacific Islands) into a global economy dominated by the 'developed' countries (North America, Europe and Japan). This process, termed `GLOBALIZATION', results from the operation of the global market mechanism; the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and the programs of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs).

AAS 290

TOPICS IN ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES

This course, which varies from quarter to quarter, explores topics in Asian-American studies.

HST 226

ISLAM AND THE WEST: A SURVEY OF ORIENTALISM

From "heresy" to "the Green Threat," this course studies the changing perceptions of Islam and the Islamic world held by those in "Western" societies from the time of the Crusades down to the contemporary era.

HST 133

AFRICA, 1900-PRESENT

The workings of the colonial system, the rise and course of independence movements, and the history of individual African states since independence. Formerly HST 229.

HST 241

WORLD REFUGEE CRISIS

This is a survey of global refugee crisis and internal displacement between 1945 and the present. The course will focus on the following issues and challenges: human rights, definitions and causes of crisis, internal/external displacements, 'environmental' refugees, protection and integration, refugee children, and conflict resolutions in post-war societies.

HST 246

AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1800

West African culture, the middle passage, development of the Slave trade, introduction of slavery into the American colonies, African-Americans in the Revolutionary War and the Constitution.

HST 247

AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, 1800-1900

African-American participation in frontier life, in the growth of the cotton industry, in the Civil War and Reconstruction to Booker T. Washington.

A&S 491

ADMINISTRATIVE THEORY AND BEHAVIOR

This course concerns theoretical concepts and empirical research relating to administrative behavior in organizations with special reference to educational organizations. Concepts are examined within the typical decisional framework of supervisors, chief school business officers, principles, and superintendents, and similar positions in the helping professions. Assignments are individualized.

Prerequisites:

Status as an Advanced Masters Education student is a prerequisite for this class.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, 1900 TO PRESENT

HST 249

ORIGINS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, 1871-1917

Examines the development of the European (and Great Power imperial) state system after the unification of Germany; the formation (and global implications) of the pre-war alliance structure; the political and social movements of nationalism, imperialism, and militarism; the naval race; and the July Crisis of 1914.

HST 250

ORIGINS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, 1914 - 1941

Examines the European (and world) state system in the aftermath of the First World War and the Russian Revolution; the attempts to forge a new international equilibrium at the Paris Peace Conference and after; the rise of Hitler and Nazism; appeasement; the immediate origins of the Second World War in Europe; and the rise of militarism and advent of war in East Asia.

HST 251

ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR, 1917 - 1953

Examines the rise of the United States as a world power; the diplomatic significance of the Russian Revolution; the wartime alliance between Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union; the collapse of the international order in the aftermath of the Second World War; and the advent of the Cold War.

HST 258

WOMEN IN HISTORY

A comparative study of women's social, cultural, political, economic roles over time in three parts of the world.

HST 272

FASCISM AND COUNTER REVOLUTION

An analysis of the various ideological trends that form the mature Fascism from 1920 to the present.

HST 277

WAR AND PEACE IN THE MODERN AGE

A survey of military history from 1648 to the present with emphasis on the relationship between armed forces and the societies that create them, the impact of technology on warfare, and efforts to limit deadly conflict.

HST 310

INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS

A mostly twentieth-century survey of political relationships between the United States and Latin American nations, emphasizing dependency and interdependence theories.

Prerequisites:

HST 199 or HST 299 is a prerequisite for this class.

HST 368

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA

This course examines how Native Americans, slaves, peasants, and other subaltern people actively resisted their subservient status in Latin America. It will cover a variety of protest movements, from "pre-modern" (such as millenarian movements, slave rebellions, urban riots, and "race" wars) to "modern" (such as social revolutions).

Prerequisites:

HST 199 or HST 299 is a prerequisite for this class.

HST 383

BORDERLANDS AND FRONTIERS IN AMERICA

Consideration of the changing conceptions of frontiers in American history with attention to the development of historical borderlands communities.

Prerequisites:

HST 199 or HST 299 is a prerequisite for this class.

HAA 367

FEMINISM & VISUAL CULTURE

This course addresses how gender is inscribed in visual culture, whether in "fine art" or popular representations. Students will be introduced to a broad range of feminist methodologies, such as Marxism, Post-Colonial, Queer and Transnational theories, as well as semiotics, in order to interrogate representations of gender and investigate strategies of intervention.

HON 301

HONORS JUNIOR SEMINAR IN MULTICULTURALISM

This seminar asks students to conduct research on complex issues related to multiculturalism. Topics may cover various dimensions of identity including issues of race and ethnicity, class, gender, language, religion, sexual orientation, disability and nationality. Students are encouraged to develop a critical perspective about the meaning of multiculturalism and to understand the historical and/or contemporary manifestations of inequality. All students prepare research projects and participate in seminar discussions. Variable topics; please see the schedule for current offerings. This course meets the university's requirement in multiculturalism and the Honors Program Junior Seminar requirement.

Prerequisites:

Membership in the University Honors Program is a prerequisite for this class.

HON 351

HONORS SENIOR SEMINAR IN SERVICE LEARNING

This senior seminar, which meets the capstone requirement for the Honors Program, brings students into the community as they develop skills for lifelong learning. Students in this course explore theories of service and the relationship between altruism and activism as they consider the role that service will play in their lives after DePaul. Outside of class, students will devote a minimum of three hours each week to service work at one of the sites offered through the course. This course also meets the university's Experiential Learning requirement for students who have not yet fulfilled this requirement. Open only to students in the University Honors Program.

Prerequisites:

Membership in the University Honors Program is a prerequisite for this class.

INT 202

INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND COOPERATION

This course analyzes the nature of power in the international arena, conflicts that emerge among nations, and processes through which conflict may be resolved. It includes a critical perspective on realism and the other mainstream theories of international relations.

Prerequisites:

INT 201 and status as an International Studies major or minor is a prerequisite for this class.

INT 203

INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENTS IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES

This course evaluates the major social movements that have shaped international developments in the 20th and 21st centuries. Includes discussions of the varieties of socialism, race, colonization and decolonization of the Third World.

Prerequisites:

INT 201, INT 202 and status as an International Studies major or minor is a prerequisite for this class.

INT 206

IDENTITIES AND BOUNDARIES

This course explores how identity formation is shaped by cultural, historical, and political construction of barriers, borders, and boundaries, and how such formations are intertwined with ethnicity, race, nationality, gender and class.

INT 360

TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENT & ANTI-DEVELOPMENT

A survey of the problem of endemic poverty in the Third World, together with a consideration of the various forms of public action designed to alleviate poverty. Considerable attention will be paid to the problems of rural poverty and the pitfalls and possibilities of industrialization.

INT 362

LANGUAGE AND THE POLITICS OF TERROR

Politics is, among other things, the arena in which human bodies are broken. This course will concern itself with the breaking of human bodies through torture, genocide, war and poverty. Throughout, a focus will be maintained on the interface between bodies and language, on how bodies placed under extremes of pain and degradation lose their capacity for speech, and how language reaches its intrinsic limits in trying to represent bodies in pain.

INT 365

TOPICS IN WAR AND PEACE

A course that offers students the opportunity to explore security, war and peace studies in greater depth. (See schedule for current offerings.)

INT 366

TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW

A course that offers students the opportunity to explore law and security issues in greater depth. (See schedule for current offerings.)

INT 368

TOPICS IN GLOBAL CULTURE

A course that offers students the opportunity to explore global cultural studies in greater depth. See schedule for current offerings.

INT 371

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS

This course examines the international processes by which scientific knowledge concerning environmental change and degradation is translated into action on the parts of individuals, groups, states, and global institutions. We look at the political, legal, economic and cultural structures that reproduce the global propensity to disrupt or degrade the environment and that likewise prevent amelioration.

INT 374

TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

A course that offers students the opportunity to explore the United Nations, the Organization of American States, non-governmental organizations, the European Union, NAFTA and similar trading blocks or organizations, and the policy issues associated with these organizations.(See schedule for current offerings.)

INT 388

SPECIAL TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Special Topics In International Studies

IWS 263

RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

An exploration of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as they develop and interact in the Middle East, historically and in terms of contemporary religious and political issues. Includes a study of personal narratives of people from Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. Cross-listed as REL 263.

IWS 310

INTERNATIONAL ONLINE DIALOGUE

This course is designed to run in connect with SoliyaConnect, a virtual classroom experience for IWS majors and minors. Students will be in live conversations with students in various universities in the U.S. and the Middle East on issues directly related to this conflict. Students begin in last weeks of winter quarter and continue throughout Spring Quarter, registering for course in Spring. Laboratory work which is virtual classroom is coupled with classwork real class setting.

LST 200

FOUNDING MYTHS AND CULTURAL CONQUEST IN LATIN AMERICA

This course challenges students to connect the cataclysmic formation of the Latin Americas from the cultures of Europe, Africa, and the Native (indigenous) peoples with the processes that inform our modern world. Colonialism, social stratification and forms of conflict and rebellion all played pivotal roles in the formation of Latin America from origins to the 18th century. The history and culture of the region is presented from many perspectives and across many disciplines.

LST 201

STRUGGLE AND RESISTANCE IN LATIN AMERICA

Latin America is more than a geographical reality. This interdisciplinary course asks how Latin America has been forged through local and global struggles for economic sovereignty, political self-determination, social and cultural identities in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Students will be introduced to the histories of economic dependence after the dawn of political independence, the intertwined dynamics of U.S. interventionism and Latin American resistance, the making of indigenous movements, as well as the interrelated issues of gender, race, and sexuality.

LST 202

CONSTRUCTING LATINO COMMUNITIES

This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to Latino Studies. It explores the socio-historical background of the major Latino groups in the United States, and the economic, political, and cultural factors that converge to shape Latino group identity. This course examines contemporary issues affecting Latinos including the evolution of Latino ethnicity, immigration, transnationalism and the formation of Latino communities, activism, and media representations of Latinos.

LST 300

SPECIAL TOPICS IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES

SPECIAL TOPICS IN LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES

LST 303

BORDER MATTERS:LITERATURE & CULTURE IN THE LATINO/A BORDERLANDS

In this course we will study the values and dynamic that is promoted in different Latino communities in the United States. In order to give context to the present situation of Latinos in the U.S. we will study some of the social issues in the countries of origin which have resulted in immigration and their encounter with borderlands. The notion of a Latina and Latino cultural "borderlands" has proven a ubiquitous and powerful conceptual paradigm in recent years, organizing distinct ethnic groups (Cuban American, Mexican American, Central American, Puerto Rican, etc.) according to the rubrics of pan-ethnic identity labels (Hispanic, Latina/Latino, etc.) and transnational geographies (Latin America, the Americas, etc.). This course will examine a wide range of Latino/a literary expressions produced in the Latina/Latino borderlands, particularly in areas of cultural contact and conflict. While the most obvious focus will be the Texas-Mexico border region, including ongoing efforts to establish the public meaning of the Alamo, additional borderlands, literal and figurative, will be considered. The Latina and Latino borderlands have also inspired critics and theorists to imagine postmodern, post national subject formations, in which questions of ethnicity, gender, and sexuality are shifted from the margins to the center of critical discourse. We will therefor investigate the use and limits of recent "border theory".

LATINO COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

LST 309

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND LATINO FAMILIES

Social Engagement And Latino Families

LST 348

INDIGENOUS POLITICAL STRUGGLES

This course explores the struggles for social justice and the right to have rights by indigenous peoples. It emphasizes contemporary cases and the cultural contexts in which indigenous political strategies have developed and transformed. It uses historical data to understand the issues faced by indigenous peoples. Students conduct research on indigenous struggles and their connections to other social movements at the local, national, and international levels.

LGQ 332

CREATING CHANGE: CONTEMPORARY GLBT POLITICS

This course explores the historical roots and contemporary realities of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) politics, nationally and internationally. GLBT groups and individuals are gaining political recognition, challenging institutions, and creating change by asserting claims to rights and protections under law. Such issues as hate crimes, marriage, AIDS, and ballot initiatives over non-discrimination law and policy have entered the political mainstream since the 1970's. This course examines the GLBT movement, its political and social strategies, conflicts and issues, and the political roles played by its members as participants in political culture. Cross-listed with WGS 332 & PSC 312.

LGQ 338

SEXUAL JUSTICE: LESBIANS, GAYS AND THE LAW

This course examines the historical and contemporary relationships between lesbians, gays, and the law in the U.S., focusing on the intersections of power, sexuality, and identity with issues of sexuality-based discrimination. It focuses on case law, along with social science and legal literature, seeking out a diversity of voices and experiences. Primary emphasis will be on cases that have come before the U.S. Supreme Court since the mid-1950's, with particular attention paid to how groups and individuals have reached out to the court system for redress of injustice and how these groups and individuals have exercised or failed to exercise power within the legal process. The U.S. legal system has reflected a complex set of social and institutional arrangements with regard to sexuality. This course explores the evolution and current construction of these arrangements, how power is allocated and adjudicated, and how law may be used to resist and dismantle pervasive discrimination. Cross-listed with WMS 338.

PAX 200

PERSPECTIVES ON PEACE, JUSTICE , AND CONFLICT STUDIES

A survey of key issues in the study of violence, conflict and its peaceful resolution including an examination of nonviolence as a philosophy and as a technique of action and social change. The course treats aggression, oppression, and nationalism as particularly problematic in an increasingly global human community. The course introduces key concepts in peace studies (positive and negative peace, structural and direct violence, the analysis of conflict) and demonstrates the links with other parallel concerns (minority issues, women's issues, social change, international relations). In addition to traditional methods of instruction, this course will rely on students working at designated community service organizations which will be treated as one of the central learning resources in the course.

PAX 206

BOUNDARIES AND IDENTITIES

This course explores how identity formation is shaped by cultural, historical, and political construction of barriers, borders, and boundaries, and how such formations are intertwined with ethnicity, race, nationality, gender and class.

PAX 218

HUMAN RIGHTS: PROMISE AND PROBLEMATICS

This course will explore the historical origins, foundational principles, and socio-political efficacy of human rights discourse in contemporary international relations, domestic politics, and ethical thought. It consider issues such as the religious and/or secular foundation of human rights; their universality in relation to particular cultural customs and norms; the relative priority of individual and collective rights; and the legitimacy of international humanitarian intervention in sovereign nations.

PAX 231

ANALYZING POVERTY, ITS CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

This course investigates a variety of viewpoints on the causes and effects of poverty. Poverty is a complex and multidimensional condition often difficult to measure, comprehend and change. It includes lack of or limited access to material needs (food, water, shelter, health care, etc.), social relations (participation, inclusion, rights, etc.), income and wealth (unemployment, resources, etc.) and moral, psychological, or spiritual well-being. This course reviews the current poverty debates from the economic, policy, social, political, cultural and moral perspectives that influence the implementation of poverty reduction programs.

PAX 240

VOICES OF WAR AND PEACE; ART, LITERATURE AND FILM

This course is an overview of the ways in which the arts, including literature and film, portray warfare and the attempts to end violence and build reconciliation and peace.

PAX 252

FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

A study of various understandings of "forgiveness" and "reconciliation" in several religions and cultures. The nature and dynamics of forgiveness and reconciliation will be examined both theoretically and in relationship to specific conflicts. Cross-listed with REL 252.

PAX 290

TOPICS ON JUSTICE AND PEACE

A topics course geared to introductory level discussions of the core elements of justice and peace-building as they occur in specific venues, such as religion.

PAX 303

BORDER MATTERS: LITERATURE & CULTURE IN THE LATINO/A BORDERLANDS

In this course we will study the values and dynamic that is promoted in different Latino communities in the United States. In order to give context to the present situation of Latinos in the U.S. we will study some of the social issues in the countries of origin which have resulted in immigration and their encounter with borderlands. The notion of a Latina and Latino cultural "borderlands" has proven a ubiquitous and powerful conceptual paradigm in recent years, organizing distinct ethnic groups (Cuban American, Mexican American, Central American, Puerto Rican, etc.) according to the rubrics of pan-ethnic identity labels (Hispanic, Latina/Latino, etc.) and transnational geographies (Latin America, the Americas, etc.). This course will examine a wide range of Latino/a literary expressions produced in the Latina/Latino borderlands, particularly in areas of cultural contact and conflict. While the most obvious focus will be the Texas-Mexico border region, including ongoing efforts to establish the public meaning of the Alamo, additional borderlands, literal and figurative, will be considered. The Latina and Latino borderlands have also inspired critics and theorists to imagine postmodern, post national subject formations, in which questions of ethnicity, gender, and sexuality are shifted from the margins to the center of critical discourse. We will therefor investigate the use and limits of recent "border theory". Cross-listed with LST 303.

PAX 348

INDIGENOUS POLITICAL STRUGGLES

This course explores the struggles for social justice and the right to have rights by indigenous peoples. It emphasizes contemporary cases and the cultural contexts in which indigenous political strategies have developed and transformed. It uses historical data to understand the issues faced by indigenous peoples. Students conduct research on indigenous struggles and their connections to other social movements at the local, national, and international levels. Cross-listed with LST 348.

PAX 381

TOPICS IN PEACE BUILDING

An advanced course looking at the history, theory and implementation of a specific tool for peace building, from diplomacy (state or citizen), legislative & juridical interventions, inner peace practices, and the like.

PAX 382

TOPICS IN SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL CHANGE

An advanced course that investigates one specific arena of social justice, such as environmental racism, gender injustice, religious bigotry, and the like, from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.

PAX 383

TOPICS IN CONFLICT INTERVENTION

An advanced course that studies one or more types of nonviolent interventions in conflict, including violent conflict and warfare; examples include community organizing, political interventions, educational campaigns, etc. Recommended: PAX 210 or permission.

PAX 384

TOPICS IN ACTIVISM AND ADVOCACY

An advanced course that looks at the history, merits, values, and organizational possibilities for specific models of activism.

PAX 385

TOPICS IN HUMAN RIGHTS

Advanced topics on human rights, the competencies approach, institutionalized protection of rights, and the like.

PAX 386

TOPICS IN GLOBAL JUSTICE

The course will investigate the ways in which global agents, whether governments, NGOs, or corporations act and interact in order to address systemic global inequities and injustice.

PAX 387

TOPICS IN PEACE, JUSTICE AND RELIGION

This course will investigate the interfaces between one or more religious traditions and the ways in which the questions of peace-building and social justice are handled and responded to with concrete action.

PAX 389

TOPICS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ADVOCACY, & ACTIVISM

This course will use specific issues, groups, and actions to study how working for the just needs of communities occurs in a variety of ways and settings.

PHL 231

PHILOSOPHY AND THE QUESTION OF RACE

A philosophical inquiry into such issues as racism, anti-Semitism, genocide.

PHL 237

PHILOSOPHY, CONFLICT AND PEACE

A philosophical reflection upon the causes of war and the possibilities for peace.

PHL 241

ETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY

A study of the ways in which ethics can assist us in thinking about matters of public policy.

PHL 250

PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIAL CHANGE

Junior Year Experiential Learning

PHL 262

BLACK FEMINIST THEORIES

A study of the issues raised by black feminist and womanist writers both in the United States and globally.

PHL 264

PHILOSOPHY AND POSTCOLONIALITY

An investigation of the central issues in the work that protests the colonial conditions in the United States and globally.

PHL 384

FEMINIST ETHICS

A study and critique of various feminist theories of ethics.

PHL 385

FEMINIST PHILOSOPHIES

A study and critique of issues related to women and of their philosophical presuppositions and consequences.

PHL 392

TOPICS IN FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY

Selected issues or approaches within feminist work, such as feminist metaphysics, feminist peace theory, particular feminist figures, and the like.

PHL 393

TOPICS IN CRITICAL RACE THEORY

A study of the intersection of issues from critical race theory and feminist/gender studies.

PHL 394

TOPICS IN POSTCOLONIALISM

Selected philosophical issues in postcolonial writings, such as notions of identity and place, key figures, representation and film, and the like.

PSC 214

POLITICS AND MULTICULTURALISM

This course examines the theoretical and practical dilemmas facing multicultural societies, with special emphasis on the United States. Special attention is paid to questions of identity, integration, and separatism.

PSC 233

POLITICAL IDEAS AND IDEOLOGIES

An introduction to the enduring political issues confronted by major theorists and political traditions. (Please note that the catalog number for this course was changed from PSC 203 to PSC 233 effective Autumn, 2001.)

PSC 234

FREEDOM AND EMPOWERMENT

Considers different models for the distribution of power including forms of classic and modern elitism and representative and democratic theories. Explores issues of citizenship, community, participation, representation and constitutionalism. The dynamic of inclusion and exclusion within society are addressed as well as theories that point to political, economic, and cultural liberation.

PSC 235

EQUALITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Considers how societies distribute social goods of power, status, wealth, and informal resources and models of just distribution utilized in classic and modern political theory. Shifts in the meaning of social justice over the course of history and the critical contests over this issue are addressed, as well as the emergence of new models focusing on regional and global concerns. The major concepts including capitalism, socialism and meritocracy are considered.

PSC 263

EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS

A discussion and analysis of Supreme Court decisions interpreting the meaning of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and resolving issues of race and sex discrimination, school segregation, and the status of indigents in American law.

PSC 282

POLITICAL ACTION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

This course combines community-based service learning with readings, lectures and classroom discussions to investigate the nature of social justice and the extent to which individual and community political action can promote it. (Please note that the catalog number for this course was changed from PSC 396 to PSC 282 effective Autumn, 2001.)

PSC 319

ADVANCED TOPICS IN POLITICAL CULTURE

Various topics in political cultures.

PSC 324

INEQUALITY IN AMERICAN SOCIETY

This course examines the nature and extent of inequality in American society and explores various psychological, political, social, and economic theories which attempt to explain the existence of this phenomenon.

PSC 328

ADVANCED TOPICS IN AMERICAN POLITICS

Advanced topics In American politics.

PSC 339

ADVANCED TOPICS IN POLITICAL THOUGHT

Advanced topics in political thought.

PSC 342

ARMS, SECURITY, AND WAR

Focus is on the military dimensions of international politics, such as nuclear and conventional deterrence, arms races, arms control, alliances, and American defense policy, and how those affect war and peace.

PSC 344

WORLD POLITICAL ECONOMY

Political conflicts over trade relations, global inequality, development, growth, inflation, and scarcity are analyzed, with special emphasis placed on a description of the institutions and processes that shape international economics.

PSC 345

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WORLD POLITICS

This course seeks to familiarize students with major theories, research traditions, and issues regarding the role of Catholicism in the contemporary world. It will assess the role of various levels and actors with the Church--the Vatican, priests and nuns, lay groups and movements, activists, and others--in working as forces of social change/stability in matters of world politics, economics, and culture. The course will also consider the impact of globalization and other transnational processes on the activities and options of Catholic institutions and actors.

PSC 346

THE UNITED NATIONS AND WORLD PROBLEMS

This course will examine the historical and theoretical foundations of the United Nations, particularly in light of the changing problems and issues that confront the global community, such as international peace and security, global economic inequality, and environmental and human rights norms.

PSC 347

ETHICS IN WORLD POLITICS

Drawing on general theories of international relations and historical cases, this course examines both the forces that inhibit the development and effectiveness of ethical norms at the international level and the conditions under which such norms develop and affect the behavior of states and other actors.

PSC 356

ETHNIC CONFLICT IN THE THIRD WORLD

This course examines the nature, causes, and consequences of ethnic conflict in "Third World" nations, including conflict resolution in the presence of ethnic and racial cleavages.

PSC 358

GLOBAL GENDER ISSUES

This course examines how inequalities between women and men are connected to the global politics of power, security, the political economy, and ecology. It focuses on the theoretical and practical linkages between "women's issues" and political matters such as wars of secession, arms proliferation, global economic recessions, and environmental degradation. Questions of the nature of power, abuses of human rights, the human costs of global inequality, and the meaning of a just world order are explored.

PSC 363

WOMEN AND THE LAW

This course investigates the variety of ways in which women come into relation with the law, focusing on laws and judicial decisions dealing with equal opportunity. Cross-listed as WGS 326.

PSC 364

COMPARATIVE PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

This course will compare the status of individual rights in Britain, the United States, and Canada, and under the European Convention on Human Rights. Course materials will consist of judicial decisions and other materials on specific areas of civil liberties.

FA 389

INTRODUCTION TO RESTORATIVE PEACEMAKING PRACTICES

This course will provide an introduction to the emerging field of restorative justice. The purpose is to present an overview of the restorative justice philosophy, principles and practices, including victim offender mediation, conferencing and peacemaking circles.

HC 299

ASSESSING AND MANAGING CONFLICT

Our usual method for presenting, analyzing, and resolving conflicts has centered around legalistic argument; the goal being to discover the "right" answer and suppress the "wrong" ones. However, the multiple worldviews operating in the world today make such an approach to conflict less viable. Reflecting this reality, ways of communicating about and resolving conflict have arisen that go beyond enforcement of rules or legal determinations of right and wrong. In this course, we will look at various methods for handling conflict and consider how we might apply them to personal, work, community and literary conflicts through lecture, small group work, role playing, reading, various written projects, and discussion.

HC 281

CULTURE AND POLITICS OF THE 1960'S

The period from the late 1950s to the early 1970s represents a turning point in "the American century." Opinions differ through on the meaning of the sixties. Was it a period of cultural renaissance, moral decay, civil war, or something else entirely? This course attempts to assess the significance of the 1960s by looking at some key movements in culture and politics, including the civil rights movement, Vietnam war, hippie counterculture. We will read essays and excerpts from King, Carmichael, Wolfe, Mailer, McLuhan, Sontage and others to track the emergence of new social critiques focusing on the corporate state, patriarchy and the mass media. Through lecture, discussions, and films, students will study a significant individual or movement and demonstrate their expertise through a paper or presentation.

HC 271

WOMEN'S PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

This course focuses on how adult women change, grow, and develop in light of psychological and social-cultural forces that interact in their lives. We consider how core concepts such as self-in-relationship, transition and change, and ways of knowing play out in various aspects of women's lives. In exploring different pathways of development for women, we will draw on the life themes of students in the course as well as on theories and models that help identity unique patterns of women's psychological development (alternatives to male-based theories of adult development). This interactive course emphasizes group discussion and guided reflection. Pre-1999 Competencies: AL-D, HC-4, HC-C. BA-1999 Competencies: H-3-A, H-3-B, H-3-C. Faculty: Catherine Marienau

HC 263

CIVIL RIGHTS: FORCES AND COUNTER-FORCES SHAPING AMERICAN SOCIETY

The civil rights movement of the 1960s resulted in a radical shift in the way American society defines itself. Almost forty years later, race and gender relations remain controversial legal and political concerns in our society. This course will explore the historical factors which led to the civil rights movement and analyze the landmark laws and court decisions that regulate our race, gender, and employment relations today. Team-taught by sociologist Pat Ryan and attorney Susan Alvarado, students will examine the social, legal and philosophic underpinnings of the federal anti-discrimination laws and the realities that shape our civic and business lives.

AI 229

CONFLICT, COLONIALISM AND COMMERCE: ENCOUNTERING THAILAND AND ITS NEIGHBORS

Drawing on local resources, students will gain valuable understanding of some of the minority cultures in the region and their tenuous relationship to the dominant 'host' culture. By engaging with present- day Thailand, participants will also gain insight into its rich and complex past. Through visits to cultural centers and interactions with local people, participants will experience life among ethnic groups in the Chiang Mai province such as the 'Long-Necked' sub-group of the Karen people, as well as in the border regions of Cambodia and Burma (Myanmar). In Bangkok, we will experience its modern and ancient faces culminating in cultural activities with DePaul alumni living in Thailand.

HC 219

DEAD MAN WALKING: AN AMERICAN STORY

Dead Man Walking, the non-fiction account of Sister Helen Prejean's experience on Death Row, has had a major influence on discussion of violence, poverty, civil rights, criminal law, and social justice in the United States. Her first hand description of accompanying a condemned man to death inspired a film, an opera, and a play. Her written work and activism have impacted decisions by Pope John Paul II, numerous governors; senators; prosecuting and defense attorneys; and families of victims and prisoners. Sister Helen has formed organizations to assist victims of crime as well as the families of the condemned. In 2011 she donated her papers to the archives of the DePaul University library. This spring, as the archive opens its first display, she will be on campus for a week to meet with students to discuss her work. In this course, we will study her work and make opportunities to spend time with her as we think through questions her works raise. Students may elect to participate in a dramatic reading of the play.

HC 198

JUVENILE JUSTICE: IS IT WORKING?

This course will explore juvenile justice through a sociological lens that encompasses legal, ethical, institutional, racial, gender and economic perspectives. The course will address the foundation and origin of the juvenile justice system in Illinois and its role as pioneer in juvenile justice throughout the United States. We will examine the various entities responsible for the implementation of juvenile justice including the challenges and obstacles encountered in pursuit of intervention and prevention of juvenile delinquency. A network of professionals dedicated to working with and supporting juveniles involved in the system will speak to how the key institutions interact, combat and collaborate with each other and the impact those dynamics have on the juveniles, their families and communities. The methodologies and efficacy of responses to delinquency such as punishment, incarceration, rehabilitation, substance treatment and re-entry will also be considered. The class will take on such questions as what contributes to juvenile delinquency, how is juvenile delinquency defined, how does it differ amongst communities, how did we get here and what does the future of juvenile delinquency look like in Illinois?

PSY 359

FIELD WORK IN COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND ACTION

Field work in community research and action.

Prerequisites:

PSY 356 is a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 355

TEAMS AND WORK GROUPS IN ORGANIZATIONS

The behavior and thinking of individuals in teams and work groups and the functioning of teams in organizational settings.

Prerequisites:

(PSY 105 or PSY 106) and (PSY 347 or PSY 380) are a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 354

COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY

Focus on systemic and ecological theories of human behavior, diversity, social support, community intervention and evaluation, empowerment, social change, and working with underserved populations. Community service project strongly encouraged. Cross level with PSY 654.

Prerequisites:

PSY 105, PSY 106 or the equivalent of Introduction to Psychology is a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 345

CULTURAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGY

Race and ethnic relations in the U.S. is not a fixed, static phenomenon, but rather a dynamic, ever-changing pattern of relationships. This course assists students in understanding the diversity, heterogeneity, and complexity of race relations in American society.

Prerequisites:

PSY 105 or 106 is a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 325

PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN

A review of research and theory on women, including sexist bias in methodology, violence and discrimination against women, gender differences in power and nonverbal behavior in relationships.

Prerequisites:

PSY 105 or 106 is a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 317

PSYCHOLOGY OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

A review of psychological issues, theory, and research related to close relationships, e.g., attraction, love, attachment, friendship, sexuality, jealousy, conflict and power. Cross-listed with PSY 435.

Prerequisites:

PSY 105 or PSY 106 is a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 305

PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

This course is designed to provide students with both in-class and applied experience within the field of psychology, including an overview of psychology as an academic discipline. Offered every quarter.

Prerequisites:

PSY 105 or 106 is a prerequisite for this class.

PSY 220

LATINA/O PSYCHOLOGY

The purpose of this course is to examine the psychological research literature on the mental health and well being of Latina/o populations in the United States. A number of relevant topics will be examined, including the current state of Latinas/os in psychology, cultural characteristics and values, immigration, acculturation, ethnic identity, stereotypes and discrimination, health, and education. The goal of this course is for students to be better equipped in understanding the factors that influence the psychology of the Latina/o population.

PSY 213

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PSYCHOLOGY

Overview of psychological and social issues relevant to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals and communities. The course will examine key concepts, LGBT psychological research, and efforts to promote liberation and well being.

LSE 258

EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

A variable topics course designed to examine education within a philosophical framework which focuses upon the relatively great potential of education as an agent for social justice and change. Through the examination of current issues and concerns, students are expected to engage in critical analysis, reflect upon theoretical frameworks, examine public policies and values, and consider ways in which schools and educators can promote the development of social justice. Each time the course is offered it will focus on one of the following topics: gender; ethnicity; language and culture; or social class and economic opportunity. For each topic, attention will be given to the issues of institutional responses to differences, equity, access and outcomes. This course satisfies the self, society, & modern world requirement.

LSE 254

THE POLITICS OF EDUCATION

This course examines school and other educational sites as political institutions. It explores the ways in which the goals, the content taught, and the organization of educational institutions are shaped by relations of power and by political trends in society. It also explores schools and classrooms as political terrains in their own right in which issues of power are contested along lines of race, class, ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, and other forms of difference. The course considers ways in which schools may reproduce or contest the existing social order. The dynamic interplay of political context and the internal politics of schools will be studied theoretically and through specific issues such as language and immigration policy, affirmative action, educational vouchers, textbook selection, and educational reform movements. This course satisfies the self, society, & modern world requirement.

ORGC 355

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Examines the theory and process of conflict in interpersonal and organizational contexts. Focuses upon the causes, types, and theories of conflicts as well as upon practical approaches to dispute resolution. Topics include: social-psychological as well as process perspectives of conflict; personal conflict style/s; conflict sources; destructive versus constructive interaction cycles; impression management; conflict escalation or diminishment; and resolution strategies. (Formerly CMNS 355)

ORGC 317

TOPICS IN GROUP COMMUNICATION

Examines selected topics in group communication processes. Topics may include group creativity, communicating in virtual teams, conflict in groups, and group facilitation. (Formerly CMNS 317)

INTC 367

PERFORMANCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

This is an experiential field experience that examines the role of performance in social activism. Student projects will identify a social issue of critical concerns and devise a performative response. (Formerly CMNS 367)

INTC 361

GENDER AND COMMUNICATION

A review of the differences in communication patterns between women and men. Topics covered include language and language usage differences, interaction patterns, gender social movements, and perceptions of the sexes generated through language and communication. (Formerly CMNS 361)

INTC 337

ASIAN-AMERICAN MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS

The course takes an interdisciplinary approach in the analysis of the media images and explores issues of power, identity, race, gender, class, sexual orientation and the interaction of these factors in the representation of Asian Americans. (Formerly CMNS 337)

INTC 323

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

This course examines the rhetoric of social movements throughout American History. As a rhetoric class, the focus is primarily on the symbolic creation of movements in order to provide background of the political and social events that gave rise to the movement. Using readings from a variety of sources, we will investigate the discursive construction of power as it relates to society and politics. The class will take a case-study approach to examining social movement rhetoric, exploring the discourse that has served to resist oppressive, or perceptively oppressive, systems. (Formerly CMN 323)

INTC 308

TOPICS IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Examination of the application of linguistic and rhetorical theories to various specializations in cultural discourse. The course focuses each term on one particular area such as semiotics, language acquisition, or language and power. (Formerly CMNS 308)

INTC 304

MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN THE U.S.A.

An examination of communication within and between linguistic communities in the United States. Focus will be on the relations between language use and social institutions such as the family, the community, the media, and the educational system. (Formerly CMN 304)

INTC 206

COMMUNICATING MULTICULTURAL IDENTITIES

This course examines identity from a critical/poststructuralist position, approaching the notion of identity as a performative and discursive production within complex systems of power, privilege, and oppression. Together, the class will examine the ways in which discourse influences our performances of personal identity as well as the ways that it constructs our ideas about other identities (gender, race, sexuality, etc.). Through reading, discussion, and reflection, we will interrogate how individual and group identities are theorized, constructed, negotiated, and transformed; how identity is shaped by rhetorical discursive and non-discursive practices; and how identity construction is situated in historical/social/political/ideological contexts. (Formerly CMNS 206)

WRD 360

TOPICS IN RHETORIC

May be repeated for credit as topics vary. This course provides students opportunities to explore concepts in depth and apply specialized practices related to a rotating selection of dedicated topics in the theory and history of rhetoric.

WGS 394

WOMEN, SELF, AND SOCIETY SEMINAR

Women, Self and Society Seminar (cross-listed as Women's and Gender Studies 480 and Master's of Liberal Studies 468). Variable Topics. See course schedule for current offerings.

Prerequisites:

WGS course or instructor permission is a prerequisite for this course.

WGS 388

QUEER THEORY: AN INTRODUCTION

This course examines some of the central texts of queer theory in order to contextualize and historicize the notion of homosexuality as a primary category of identity. The issue of sexual normativity as it relates to gay and lesbian assimilation will also be discussed. Because of the significant relationship of gender and sexuality, we will also examine theories of embodiment and take up the debates around the politics of intersex and transgender identities. Formerly WMS 284.

WGS 387

TEEN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

This course is an interdisciplinary experiential/service learning seminar in which students will participate in, and critically reflect upon, a relationship violence prevention program in Chicago area high schools. This class will explore adolescent development, considering the ways in which economic, social, political and cultural contexts influence that development. In addition, we will focus on adolescent relationships, group work with teens, aggression and violence in intimate -- in particular teen -- relationships, and evaluation of programs to prevent teen violence. Each week students will address a set of theoretical and/or practical themes that in some way relate to teen violence and aggression, as well as prevention of such violence. Discussions of each theme will draw on course readings, lecture materials, and perhaps most importantly, students' experiences working with teens in schools.

WGS 338

SEXUAL JUSTICE: LESBIANS, GAYS AND THE LAW

This course examines the historical and contemporary relationships between lesbians, gays, and the law in the U.S., focusing on the intersections of power, sexuality, and identity with issues of sexuality-based discrimination. It focuses on case law, along with social science and legal literature, seeking out a diversity of voices and experiences. Primary emphasis will be on cases that have come before the U.S. Supreme Court since the mid-1950's, with particular attention paid to how groups and individuals have reached out to the court system for redress of injustice and how these groups and individuals have exercised or failed to exercise power within the legal process. The U.S. legal system has reflected a complex set of social and institutional arrangements with regard to sexuality. This course explores the evolution and current construction of these arrangements, how power is allocated and adjudicated, and how law may be used to resist and dismantle pervasive discrimination. Cross-listed with WGS 438.

WGS 332

CREATING CHANGE: CONTEMPORARY GLBT POLITICS

This course explores the historical roots and contemporary realities of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) politics, nationally and internationally. GLBT groups and individuals are gaining political recognition, challenging institutions, and creating change by asserting claims to rights and protections under law. Such issues as hate crimes, marriage, AIDS, and ballot initiatives over non-discrimination law and policy have entered the political mainstream since the 1970's. This course examines the GLBT movement, its political and social strategies, conflicts and issues, and the political roles played by its members as participants in political culture. Cross-listed as PSC 312 and LGQ 332.

WGS 326

WOMEN AND LAW

This course investigates the variety of ways in which women come into relation with the law, e.g., through laws and judicial decisions dealing with equal opportunity. Cross-listed as PSC 363.

WGS 314

ANTIRACIST FEMINISMS

This course introduces students to the wide array of feminist thinking regarding ideologies of race, racism, white privilege, ethnocentrism, racial and ethnic identifications, and their relationship to gender, class, sexual and national identities and locations. The ways that racism has divided women's movements and feminist organizations will be examined along with the work of feminist scholars, writers, activists, and advocates who have articulated explicitly anti-racist theories, analyses, and programs within the U.S. as well as internationally.

WGS 310

FEMINIST ETHICS

This course explores theoretical issues regarding women's moral experience and feminist approaches to liberation from various forms of socio-cultural and political oppression. It explores the moral status of women from their own experiences and perspectives, in contrast to traditional Western ethics' characterizations. It examines and evaluates the ethic of care as an alternative moral perspective and investigates a variety of themes and values discerned in women's moral experiences. It explores feminist ethical perspectives on oppressive social practices, such as racism and violence against women, and examines the ethical dimensions of difference among women.

WGS 303

GENDER, VIOLENCE AND RESISTANCE

This course explores the social and cultural contexts of interpersonal violence in women's lives, with a focus on domestic violence, rape, harassment. The course seeks to understand how gender, race, class, sexuality, and national differences and inequalities shape the experiences of violence, the social and institutional responses to violence, and strategies for resistance and change.

WGS 300

FEMINIST THEORIES

Disagreements about what counts as feminist theory have raged as the borders of feminist discourse have shifted over the past two and a half decades. Yet most feminists continue to insist that sex/gender be considered basic categories of analysis and theory. Broadly conceived, feminist theory--historical or contemporary--represents an attempt to understand and interpret the roots and causes of women's place in the world. This course examines how different theoretical perspectives address gender, class, racial, and sexual inequalities and the method(s) proposed for social change. Students will be required to critically engage these theories in terms of how they address the commonalities and differences among women, especially insofar as these are grounded in race, class, and sexual identifications and dissonances. This course is a core requirement for the Women's & Gender Studies major.

Prerequisites:

WMS 250 is a prerequisite for this class.

WGS 290

SPECIAL TOPICS

See course schedule for current offerings.

WGS 275

BLACK FEMINIST THEORIES IN A U.S. CONTEXT

This course introduces students to the major figures, statements, and movements that shape Black feminist thinking, writing and activism in the United States. Issues examined may include social and economic equity, beauty and voice, activism and social change; and the exploration of identity and subjectivity through the lens of intersectionality, including race, gender, sexual orientation, class, citizenship, and immigrant status. Throughout we will consider Black feminist thought's situatedness in larger frameworks of Western feminist thought and its linkages with international feminist discourses.

WGS 270

WOMEN IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETIES

This is a survey course which focuses on the diverse social, cultural and political realities of women in the Caribbean region across and within historical periods marked by colonialism, slavery and indentureship; anti-colonial, nationalist and labor movements; economic globalization and the emergence of the postcolony. Drawing on primary documents, images, feminist postcolonial writings, the course investigates how women of indigenous, African, Chinese, Indian and multiracial (or "mixed") descent have been positioned within various societies, and in relationship to each other. Topics covered include visual representations of women, gender and sexuality; forms of resistance and political engagement; motherhood, reproduction and the State; women in various religious traditions; work and economic status; social class, color and femininities; popular culture.

WGS 250

FEMINIST FRAMEWORKS

This course introduces feminist theories and methodologies with an emphasis on how theoretical frameworks shape specific research, policies, and praxis. The course will provide an introductory exploration of feminist frameworks in relationship to specific issues and questions within women's studies, with some attention to the resulting research/analytic methods. The class will delineate, analyze and compare the underlying assumptions and frameworks of a variety of feminist theories (i.e. historical materialist, liberal, radical, standpoint and identity-based, critical race, postcolonial, and transnational theoretical frameworks) in relation to a set of issues and questions (e.g. violence against women, sex discrimination, reproductive rights). The class will explore the relationship between these frameworks and knowledge production, public policy, and social change efforts within transnational contexts. Thus, the students will be able to discern how theories frame research questions and methods, as well as how they frame policy issues and action proposals; and students will be able to analyze the theoretical frameworks comparatively.

WGS 215

GENDER AND EDUCATION

This course examines gender as a social construct and its meanings within the context of educational institutions, its implications for teaching and learning, and organizational practices that may oppress and/or empower groups or individuals. Emphasis is given to social forces within the larger society that affect education and schooling; sex-stereotyping and gender bias; teacher behaviors; attitudes, practices, and expectations; student motivation and achievement; principles of non-sexist education; gender bias in settings outside of schools; current issues in the media and popular culture; and the ways in which gender bias and sexism interact with other forms of prejudice, inequality, and oppression.

WGS 200

WOMEN'S STUDIES IN TRANSNATIONAL CONTEXTS

This course is a transnational approach to Women's & Gender Studies, examining how goods, money, and media images of women cross national in new ways. A further focus is on how this transformation of national boundaries depends not only upon political changes but also upon economic and cultural shifts. This transnational perspective pays attention to the inequalities and differences intersecting race, class, and gender that arise from new forms of globalization as well as from older histories of colonialism and racism. The course is designed to give the student an in-depth look at a world of connections that do not necessarily create similarities in how women variously experience that world. It introduces students to research by and about women that reflects transnationality in all of its possibilities and challenges.

PPS 251

URBAN POVERTY

This course examines the demographics of poverty and its concentration in central cities. In addition, definitions of poverty and public policies aimed at alleviating poverty are explored with the aim of understanding why poverty remains prevalent in the United States.

PPS 330

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable development has become a crucial concept in international initiatives worldwide. It attempts to foster policies that balance the need for economic development with practices that promote healthy communities and ecosystems. This course is based on the instructor's theoretical and practical experience gathered in developed and developing countries under market and command economies conditions. Special emphasis is placed on the role of institutions, both governmental and non-government, in shaping economic policies that are compatible with environmental health. The course pursues the objective of preparing students to understand main environmental problems and to generate solutions for these problems from a multidisciplinary perspective.

PPS 331

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a historical background on environmental justice (EJ) in the US and an understanding of the current EJ movement. Policy debates surrounding EJ are highlighted from recent studies on determining 'disproportionate impact' to local EJ communities. In addition, students will experience the challenges of EJ organizations in Chicago through the service-based leaning component of the course. Twenty-five hours of service learning is required for completion of this course.

REL 202

ETHICAL WORLDS: MORAL ISSUES ACROSS CULTURES

An exploration of religion and ethics from a comparative and international perspective. Ethical dimensions of diverse world religious traditions will be investigated within their own particular historical and cultural contexts, and students will be asked to consider and evaluate their own ethical orientations in the light of these studies.

REL 219

SLAVERY, RACE AND RELIGION

This class examines religious arguments, from the 1500's through the 1700's, for and against slavery. Students will investigate different historical and theoretical definitions of slavery. Students will also gain an introduction to the relationship between slavery, evangelicalism, capitalism, and Enlightenment moral philosophy.

REL 222

CONTEMPORARY MORAL ISSUES

A study of the relations between religious beliefs and moral action to be carried out through an examination of the ethical and moral response of various religious traditions to selected moral issues such as war and peace, sexual behavior, etc.

REL 252

FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

A study of various understandings of "forgiveness" and "reconciliation" in several religions and cultures. The nature and dynamics of forgiveness and reconciliation will be examined both theoretically and in relationship to specific conflicts. Cross-listed with PAX 252.

REL 260

RELIGION AND POLITICAL CONFLICT

An examination of the role of religions and religious movements in political conflicts. Particular sections will examine the relationship of religions to violence and peacemaking in different areas of the world.

REL 263

RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

An exploration of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as they develop and interact in the Middle East, historically and in terms of contemporary religious and political issues. Includes a study of personal narratives of people from Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities.

REL 283

ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT IN CONTEXT

A study of Roman Catholicism's understanding of its relation to the social world, including such matters as the relation between Church and State, the moral authority of the Church, and of its teaching on such issues as social ethics, politics and economics.

REL 320

TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS ETHICS

Examines methods and content of religious ethics. Specific topics for current offering are noted in the current schedule.

REL 322

FEMINIST ETHICS

An investigation of theoretical issues regarding women's moral experiences and of feminist ethical arguments combatting various forms of oppression. Cross-listed with WGS 310/410 and MLS 477.

REL 351

LIBERATION THEOLOGY

Focuses upon the ideas and practices of a radical movement for the transformation of Christianity and for social justice that originated in the "Basic Christian Communities" of Latin America and spread from there to North America and the Third World. Entails either an Applied Research or Service Learning component.

SOC 394

COMMUNITY BASED SOCIOLOGY

Combines basic understanding of sociological principles with field experience.

SOC 390

SEMINAR IN SOCIOLOGY

Selected topics form the basis of an in-depth consideration. Topics vary and may be initiated by students.

SOC 358

REVOLUTIONS AND PEASANT REBELLIONS

Analyzes the most important revolutions and peasant rebellions of the twentieth century as well as the most relevant cases from previous periods, such as the French Revolution.

SOC 340

SOCIAL INEQUALITY

Examination of inequalities in wealth and power and their consequences for individuals and the society; for example, the institutions of law, health care, education and politics.

SOC 333

THE SOCIOLOGY OF SLAVERY

This course examines and analyzes the institution of slavery in the United States from a sociological perspective. Important areas examined include the origins and functions of American slavery and racism, abolition, ideology and the idea of slavery and the origins of the African American class structure in the United States.

SOC 330

THEMES IN SOCIAL THOUGHT

Consideration of the writings of social philosophers regarding the nature, origins and meanings of human society.

SOC 318

SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

Examines various processes of social and cultural change, with particular focus on peoples undergoing or emerging from cultural, political or economic oppression.

SOC 316

STREET GANGS

Examines the problems associated with street gangs and "troublesome youth groups" in the United States and Europe. Classical and contemporary theories of gang formation and proliferation are reviewed. Both quantitative and qualitative gang research efforts are studied. Street gang reduction policies and programs (national and local) are scrutinized. Emphasis is placed on the street gang's relationship with other organizations and social actors in the same "habitat."

Prerequisites:

SOC 220 is a prerequisite for this class.

SOC 315

LAW, POWER AND RESISTANCE

In this course, students examine the law in its social context. Readings, reflections, and discussions will push students to explore the role of law both in the production and maintenance of inequality and in marginalized people's struggles for justice.

SOC 305

POWER, CONSTRUCTIONS OF DEVIANCE, AND SOCIAL CONTROL

This course employs a variety of theoretical paradigms to examine social constructions of deviance and conformity. It pays close attention to the relationship of such behaviors to conventional values, institutions, power, and mechanisms of social control.

SOC 292

COLLECTIVE ACTION

The socio-legal implications of violent and nonviolent protest in bringing about social change. Emphases: social and historical causes that precipitate violence; court response to civil disobedience.

SOC 256

SOCIAL CHANGE

Examines changes in societies since 1800, including change in technology, culture, and social and political institutions. Topics include modernization, revolution and media. The course emphasizes comparative, global perspectives and use of primary sources.

SOC 253

SLAVERY AND RACIALIZATION

Addresses both the coming of slavery in Western civilization and how the ideology of race is used to interpret historical events and situations. The course will consider how slavery created the formation of a racist color line.

SOC 250

GROUP DIVERSITY

Study of cultural identities, values, and interaction of diverse groups. Among the concepts explored will be race, ethnicity, religion, gender, social class, sexual orientation, ableism, and age. The material will draw upon all the social sciences as well as appropriate samples from the literature.

SOC 248

WHITE RACISM

This seminar is an introduction to white studies and white racism. White racism is a set of socially organized attitudes, behaviors and beliefs about differences between Blacks and other groups of color in the United States. The focus is on how the color White is constituted as dominant in social life throughout the United States and Western Europe.

SOC 231

RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE CITY

The social and cultural importance of urban ethnic communities and their interrelationships are investigated through a study of neighborhood development and change. Special emphasis on the major ethnic communities of Chicago.

SOC 230

SEX AND GENDER IN THE CITY

Examines the role of sex, sexuality, and gender in urban life, their interaction in urban spaces, and the formation of related private and public social policies.

SOC 220

THEORIES OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY

Analysis of theories of causes and control of crime and juvenile delinquency; examination of delinquency subcultures, and the distribution of crime and juvenile delinquency.

SOC 211

GENDER AND SOCIETY

A consideration of the development of sex roles, gender identity and sexual behavior in a social context; how gender roles are shaped by families, youth culture, and the life cycle.

SOC 209

SOCIOLOGY OF WOMEN

Cross-cultural analysis of women's roles. How various social institutions the media, work, the family, education, religion treat sex-role distinctions and how the women's movement is attempting to confront them.

SOC 204

THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE

This course deals with the immigrant experience in the United States examining immigration and its effects on both this immigrants and the larger society, from the earliest days of this nation to the present. Students consider the demographic aspects of immigration, patterns of societal inclusion and exclusion, institution building, existential issues, cultural issues, economic issues, legal issues, educational issues, political issues and the nature of multiculturalism in the U.S.

SOC 203

RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS

Interpretation and understanding of relationships between religious, ethnic and racial groups. The course emphasizes racial conflict and its resolution as well as the need to eradicate racism.

PSC 312

Explore the historical roots and contemporary realities of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) politics, nationally and internationally. Such issues as hate crimes, marriage, AIDS, and ballot initiatives over non-discrimination law and policy have entered the political mainstream since the 1970's. This course examines the GLBT movement, its political and social strategies, conflicts and issues, and the political roles played by its members as participants in political culture. (cross-list with WMS 332)

CSS 310

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRISON

This course will provide an opportunity for students to 1.) reflect deeply on the meaning of justice, 2.) examine institutionalized forms of justice, and, above all, 3.) explore alternative models of justice. Using a dialectic process, students will actively scrutinize theories of justice and investigate issues and movements of social justice. Additionally, they will be asked to consider how each of these areas informs the other, since theories often influence as well as emerge from issues and movements. Assumptions about crime and justice will be considered by comparing and contrasting retributive and restorative paradigms. The role of offender, victim and community will be analyzed in the context of crime and justice. Students will also look into programs in restorative justice to discern their outcome effectiveness.

REL 259

RELIGION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

An investigation of the ways in which various religious traditions engage the social order. Traditions, persons and movements that form the focus of the course will vary from section to section. The course will integrate theory and practice in studying forms of religious engagement. All students will perform some service to a community or within a community organization or agency.

Prerequisites:

Sophomore standing is a prerequisite for this class.

REL 264

COLONIZATION, RELIGION AND RESISTANCE

This course will explore the religious traditions and cultural identities of some of the peoples native to the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania; problems they have with the "civilized" world and their potential solutions to them.

REL 370

FEMINIST THEOLOGIES

An exploration of women's experience as a primary resource and norm for theology, focusing on themes of inclusion, exclusion, representation and liberation in particular social, political and historical contexts.

WRD 377

WRITING AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Using writing within community service. See schedule for current offerings.

Prerequisites:

WRD 104 or HON 100 is a prerequisite for this course.

PAX 365

TOPICS IN WAR AND PEACE

This course will deal with one of many ways to discuss the large-scale conflict that is war and the different methods to prevent, delay, and conclude such conflicts, in order to have peace. Cross-listed with INT 365.

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CSS 320

COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEMS

This course offers a critical analysis of the concept of community food systems as it has been employed as an alternative to the global agro-food system. Readings, lectures, films, guest speakers, site visits, and field projects will provide students with an overview of emerging community-driven efforts at producing, distributing and consuming food. Emphasis will be placed on (1) local, community-based food projects within urban contexts in North America; (2) whether or not these projects constitute more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable approaches to provisioning households, neighborhoods, towns and cities; and (3) the degree to which such projects enhance the control over, accessibility to, and healthiness of food. Students will gain an understanding of the current global food system in relation to producing, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, eventually discarding of food. Comparisons will be drawn with emerging local production, distribution and procurement processes driven by the interests of community groups and organizations concerned with health and nutrition, the environment and social justice. There will be a specific focus on the application of community food systems in urban sectors where access to fresh food is challenged, for example, as a result of historical patterns of racial segregation and social exclusion. Students will gain an understanding of such challenges through engaging in field projects in support of local food production and distribution within Chicago communities.

CPL 240

VOICES OF WAR AND PEACE; ART, LITERATURE AND FILM

This course is an overview of the ways in which the arts, including literature and film, portray warfare and the attempts to end violence and build reconciliation and peace. Cross-listed with PAX 240.

PAX 392

INTERNSHIP IN PEACE , JUSTICE, AND CONFLICT STUDIES

The Internship in Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies exposes students to practical learning experiences in non-profit and government agencies through an intensive internship. Students work 100 hours with an organization arranged through Steans Center. Cross-listed with CSS 395.

GEO 351

GEOGRAPHY, FOOD AND JUSTICE

While the need for food is universal, geographies of food production, distribution and consumption are anything but even. This leads to multiple issues of food injustice at a variety of scales. This course critically examines the contemporary global food system with the goal of providing students with skills and knowledge to engage in food justice activism. Students study the development of food systems and how inequalities have emerged in production, distribution and consumption. The course then explores food justice movements including the emergence of alternative food networks in the U.S and internationally. Assignments may engage students in local food projects and or/advocacy campaigns.

PAX 320

TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE

This course introduces students to transformative justice responses to violence that do not rely on state institutions. These include collective processes for support and healing, intervention, accountability, and prevention. The pedagogical praxis of learning will be through communal peacemaking circles and collective strategy sessions to create community responses to violence. Cross-listed with WGS 320.

PAX 351

GEOGRAPHY, FOOD AND JUSTICE

While the need for food is universal, geographies of food production, distribution and consumption are anything but even. This leads to multiple issues of food injustice at a variety of scales. This course critically examines the contemporary global food system with the goal of providing students with skills and knowledge to engage in food justice activism. Students study the development of food systems and how inequalities have emerged in production, distribution and consumption. The course then explores food justice movements including the emergence of alternative food networks in the U.S and internationally. Assignments may engage students in local food projects and or/advocacy campaigns. Cross-listed with GEO 351.

PAX 344

TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

This course explores a specific topic in environmental justice, such as advocacy. For example, the roles of individuals and organizations in advocacy are discussed, particularly how power arrangements facilitate or impede consensus building, how legislation is written, and how this process impacts communities of color. Special attention is paid to advocacy techniques such as lobbying, movement-building, public education and litigation.

PAX 380

TOPICS IN NONVIOLENCE

This advanced seminar will review historical, philosophical, and practical approaches to the use of nonviolence for addressing injustice and conflicts, including violent ones, as well as for enhancing life.

PSC 218

AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLITICS

This course discusses the nature and scope of African-American politics. Major topics include the radical, liberal, moderate and conservative wings of African-American political discourse, the civil rights movement and its aftermath, the rise of African-American mayors, and presidential politics. An historical survey of African-American politics, and the factors that have shaped them, may also be included.

INT 389

INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

The course provides 20-25 hours of service learning opportunities for students in organizations that are pursuing local activities based on international missions or globally-informed policies. The course meetings focus on student experiences and a discussion of state, sub-state, and non-state organizational structures in the international context.

REL 290

LATINO/A LIBERATION TRADITIONS

What does liberation mean in the context of the Americas today? How have people of Latin American descent -- both in Latin America and the United States -- connected conceptions of liberation to related ideas of liberty and freedom, as well as to notions of political revolution, cultural identity, and prophetic forms of religious faith? This course examines how these questions have been theorized across the Latino/a Americas, especially as they relate to questions of religion. Topics include liberation philosophy, critical pedagogy, prophetic religion, cultural praxis, Latina feminism, and decolonial thought.

WGS 307

WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST: BEYOND THE VEIL

This course explores how Middle Eastern Women have been represented in the media outside of the Middle East, by Arab women scholars, and "Third World" feminists and challenges these representations by focusing on issues such as veiling, the everyday lives of Middle Eastern Women, political activism, literary works, economics and social class, and media representations.

WGS 320

TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE

This course introduces students to transformative justice responses to violence that do not rely on state institutions. These include collective processes for support and healing, intervention, accountability, and prevention. The pedagogical praxis of learning will be through communal peacemaking circles and collectiev strategy sessions to create community responses to violence. Cross-listed as WGS 420.

WGS 352

GENDER, COMMUNITY, AND ACTIVISM: COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING IN WGS

Gender, Community, and Activism : Community-Based Learning in WGS is an interdisciplinary experiential/service learning seminar designed for undergraduate and graduate students in the field of Women's and Gender Studies. In an effort to provide students with an experience that integrates the feminist-informed theoretical work of the classroom with practical application in the community, the course will pair students with internship opportunities at community-based organizations that focus on a cause/issue related to their particular area of scholarly interest. The course is designed to encourage learning by doing and reflecting, where students will be asked to reflect on their internship experiences outside of the classroom through course readings, written assignments, and class discussion.

ENV 344

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY

This course explores the roles of individuals and organizations in advocacy through the lens of environmental justice, particularly as power arrangements facilitate or impede consensus building. The course examines how legislation is written and how this process has impacted communities of color. Special attention is paid to advocacy techniques such as lobbying, movement-building, public education and litigation.

Prerequisites:

ENV 217 is a prerequisite for this class.

HC 205

NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

This course will explore the American approach to the management of nonprofit organizations. Topics will range from issues of leadership to those of operational implementation. Basic concepts, research and theories on nonprofit organizational behavior will be introduced to assist students in learning principles and techniques for developing and managing financial and human resources. The contrasting roles of staff, volunteers, managers and trustees will be examined to develop an understanding of how, in the American system of nonprofit management, each contributes to framing and achieving a nonprofit organization's mission.

HC 229

CIVIL RIGHTS: A MODERN APPROACH

What exactly are civil rights? Where do these rights come from and how does modern society deal with them? This course will deal with constitutional protections and safeguards currently called "Civil Rights". We will explore the role of government in these civil rights and how that role has evolved. Students will analyze various court decisions, current events and their own experiences in order to examine the relationship between government agencies (such as police and fire departments and boards of education) and citizens. The focus of this court will be on how modern society should handle civil rights issues which involve race, gender, disability, education, employment and privacy in the 21st Century.

HC 230

MINISTERING IN A WORLD OF CONFLICT AND INJUSTICE

The service of faith is inseparable from the promotion of justice. In this course, students will learn about social justice issues in contemporary Africa, with particular attention to various types of conflict. Each student will also identify a social justice issue that is associated with their future ministry. They will explore that issue and examine how their ministry might address it. Particular attention will be given to specific strategies that they can put into practice. Since the process of addressing fundamental social injustices is often a lengthy and complex one, the students will learn about long-range strategic planning and the organization and management of resources. Each student will design and complete an independent learning project in this course related to their Focus Area. Through this course, therefore, students will develop and demonstrate their competence to analyze power relations among racial, social, cultural, or economic groups in Africa and to create strategies that could address those issues in their ministry.

HC 242

ACTING UP - USING THEATER & TECHNOLOGY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

Theater and political protest. Media activists and anti-globalization. Online Flash movies for sustainable development. Hip Hop and voter registration. These are just a few of the ways art and social change are coming together. Technologists, artists and activists are blending their approaches, strategies and tools in a creative stew for progressive social change. This class will examine how social change activists are using theater and technology to achieve their change agendas.

ABD 251

WORLD REFUGEE CRISIS

This is a survey of global refugee crisis and internal displacement between 1945 and the present. The course will focus on the following issues and challenges: human rights, definitions and causes of crisis, internal/external displacements, 'environmental' refugees, protection and integration, refugee children, and conflict resolutions in post-war societies. Cross-listed with HST 241.